1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to a drum type washing machine, and more particularly, to a drum type washing machine in which a front door is capable of being kept slightly opened when the drum type washing machine is not in use.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Generally, laundry treating appliances commonly refer to a variety of apparatuses for treating laundry by applying physical and chemical actions to the laundry, such as, e.g., a washing apparatus, a drying apparatus, and a refresher. The washing apparatus serves to separate contaminants adhered to clothes, bedclothes, etc. (hereinafter, simply referred to as “laundry”) using, e.g., chemical dissolution of water and detergent and physical friction of water and laundry. The drying apparatus serves to dehydrate and dry wet laundry. The refresher functions not only to prevent allergic reaction to laundry by ejecting heated steam to the laundry, but also to achieve simple washing of the laundry.
The washing apparatus, as one kind of laundry treating appliance, is classified, according to a configuration and a washing method thereof, into an agitator type, a drum type, and a pulsator type. Although this washing apparatus is conventionally designed to sequentially perform a wash cycle, a rinse cycle, and a spin cycle for washing laundry, usually a desired one or more of the above mentioned cycles may be performed according to a user selection. Also, washing of laundry is accomplished using an appropriate washing method selected according to the kind of laundry.
In particular, of the above described various laundry treating appliances, there is a drum type washing machine. The drum type washing machine includes a body defining an interior space to receive laundry therein. The body is formed, in a front surface thereof, with an entrance opening, to allow a user to put or take laundry into or out of the interior space through a front side of the body. The drum type washing machine further includes a front door pivotally rotatably installed to the front surface of the body, so as to open or close the entrance opening.
However, in the case of the above described conventional drum type washing machine, the entrance opening is always kept closed by the front door even when the drum type washing machine is not in use, causing highly humid air in the interior space. This highly humid air and hermetically sealed environment of the interior space may cause propagation of bacteria, mold, and etc., and consequently, may contradict an intrinsic purpose of the laundry treating appliance to maintain cleanliness and sanitation of clothes.
Another disadvantage as will be appreciated from the above description is that it may be necessary for the user to keep the front door opened at any time for the purpose of preventing bacteria from propagating in the interior space of the body.
In addition, if the front door is kept opened, the front door may interfere with surrounding objects, or may deteriorate the exterior aesthetics of the surrounding.